In celebration of this year’s Juneteenth holiday, Quiet Lunch and the C.I.A. (Center for Information Alternatives) have teamed up to present JUNE’S TEETH: 32 Reasons for US to Smile By Theo Mighty.
A curated excerpt from Mighty’s expansive and ongoing portraiture series, The Way Home, this exhibition serves as a handcrafted reminder that a great portion of America’s History is rooted not just in Black tragedy, but Black triumph as well.
The exhibition’s title, JUNE’S TEETH, is far more than a play on words. Let us consider the anatomy of human teeth. Incisors cut your food, canines tear your food, premolars crush it, and molars grind it. There are teeth responsible for speech and others that are responsible for stabilizing the jaw. Each tooth plays a role, and even when one tooth goes down, another will bear the weight to take on the task.
JUNE’S TEETH is curated by Akeem K. Duncan (his final exhibition out of a four exhibition run during his curatorial residency at the gallery) and Tessa John-Connor. Both Duncan and John-Connor put in much time and consideration wading through over one hundred artists, writers, musicians and sociopolitical figures–each a representation of our brilliance, our resilience and our ability to create opportunities under the most inopportune circumstances. However, JUNE’S TEETH isn’t about slavery, it isn’t about “the man”, Uncle Sam, or Willie Mae pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run…
This is about our community and our ability to smile. Not because it happened, but because we are still here in spite of it all.
“Chapters of our cultural history may never reach the textbooks. June’s Teeth is a reminder of the truth delayed, stories of victory. These portrays are touchstones, of the beautiful struggle of perseverance. A tribute to those, whose legacy has impacted & inspired our community.” – Tessa John-Connor, Curator.
“With this year being our nation’s 250th birthday, Theo, Tessa and I felt the need to give Juneteenth its own level of credence as we are just as much a part of the fabric of this country as the fathers who are said to have founded it. Theo already provided a brilliant foundation with the existing Profiles of Resilience series and as curators we wanted to view that series through another lens, one that focuses the nowness of the patriotic holiday while also enhancing the overall intent of the message itself.” – Akeem K. Duncan, Curator.
JUNE’S TEETH: 32 Reasons for US to Smile By Theo Mighty is on display at C.I.A. Gallery through June 28th.
More Profiles of Resilience from the Mightiest himself:
Profiles of Resilience is an ongoing series that works as a narrative of the Black race from the 18th century to the present day. Each portrait is connected through a shared journey of seeking “home,” creating a collective story that moves beyond individual biographies, and points to the broader experience of a people navigating displacement, struggle, faith, identity, and perseverance.
The inception of this series began with my desire to put faces and stories to the figure of Sister Africa, a recurring character in my work who represents the Black race and its continuous search for home. Each subject in Profiles of Resilience is portrayed in side-profile, facing the same direction, symbolizing a unified movement forward. This decision also presents one of the greatest challenges of the process, many historical figures do not have available reference images showing their side profile. Finding ways to honor each individual while maintaining the visual language of the series has become a meaningful part of the work.
Although every portrait represents a different person, each shares the same circular canvas, composition, and color palette. I chose a circle because I initially wanted to focus on revolution. That thought then grew into what feels more personal and relatable: resilience. I prepare my blue palette in advance and preserve it in containers for consistency and accessibility throughout the process. The blue represents the sorrow, suffering, and realities of life that each person encounters. It is contrasted and complemented by a vibrant yellow, representing resilience, triumph, hope, and glory.
What I hope viewers take away from this series is an understanding of the unified resilience found throughout the Black experience. While each person carries their own story, together they reveal a larger truth that although life is difficult, and suffering is part of the human experience, we are made in the image of GOD, so we are also created with the capacity to endure, overcome, and transform adversity.
Profiles of Resilience continues to grow as both an artistic practice and a personal calling. As I work through the challenges of completing this series, with a goal of 360 portraits, I see my own story unfolding within it. The journey of these portraits is also a reflection of my own journey—a pursuit of home, purpose, and the resilience required to continue moving forward.
To this we say: Bravo Theo, may our collective resilience parry onward.
JUNE’S TEETH is open for viewing Thursdays & Sundays around 12-6pm ish & by appointment.
Contact: ciagallerynyc@gmail.com
11-08 Cypress Avenue, Ridgewood, NY, 11385
Closing Party July 23rd 6-9pm!
Quiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and culture with a loving, but brute, educational tinge. When we say, “Creative Sustenance Daily,” we mean it.